P0CKETCHANGE Winter FUN 2024 Show Report
Wasn’t planning a report since I was only there a few hours on Thurs, but I know folks like to read these so what the heck.
Travel: I’m local(ish), so only had to deal with expected the traffic on I-4. It was “Florida cold”, in the 50s and breezy.
Arrival: The parking lot was packed upon arrival around 10:45am. The public registration line was LONG, so I decided to do my Heritage lot viewing first.
HA Lot Viewing: Short wait, and the gentleman who assisted me was very nice. Looked at all the 20c pieces, most of the XF and CAC draped bust dollars, and some WQs. I also pulled PL $20 Libs to compare against my type coin that I think is PL or very close but isn’t holdered as such. I was able to take out my coin (with their permission) and compare side by side.
The Bourse: The reg line was gone but the bourse was packed! I’d perused a good dozen major dealers’ inventories and Collectors Corner the day prior, but there wasn’t a single coin I was excited to see, so I decided to just walk the aisles in numerical order. I ran into @DeplorableDan early on and had a good conversation with him and @ParadimeCoins —Dan had a nice piece of old gold as per usual.
Shortly thereafter I saw a couple of WQs at David Redding’s table, my first time interacting with him. He had a 32-D and 32-S, the former key date being one still needed for my set. The coin was in a 58+ holder (one of just 7 at PCGS) and had nice original eye appeal, so we struck a deal. He said he bought it at IMEX and hadn’t sent it to CAC, so I’ll probably try my luck.
After that I really didn’t see anything else that caused me to seriously consider a purchase. That’s probably partially because of the quality of material on the floor (several other 'FUN report' posters mentioned being underwhelmed), and most of my sets being in the later stages of completion. I did insta-buy this common date Peace in an OGH CAC because it practically blinded me when I walked by the Harbor Coin Company table—it's hard to resist a nice coin in OGH CAC garb.
PCGS: The line wasn’t long when I got behind about a half dozen people around 3:30, but it took forever to drop off two coins for reholdering and I found myself wishing I’d just mailed them in.
Overall: Glad to find two newPs (one of which I actually needed) and catch up with a few collectors and dealers, but I didn’t see any coins that really got me excited and I wasn’t able to meet up with as many fellow collectors as I would have liked.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Comments
Nice write-up, you bolded the first words, takes time, but made it an easy read, you get an A for effort.
IMHO, that 32-D will def bean, and I would send it in a heartbeat.
I'm very sorry I didn't have an opportunity to meet you during the short time that we crossed paths on the bourse.
Nicely written report and a couple of nice newps!
Chopmarked Trade Dollar Registry Set --- US & World Gold Showcase --- World Chopmark Showcase
Great seeing you and chatting! @PocketChange
Your 1923 $1 is a luster bomb.
Regards,
Shannon
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Nice 32-D. You did well.
Thanks, I’m pretty pleased with it. Happy to have the key date slot filled in my set, which is over 80% complete.
Nothing is as expensive as free money.
Great report. With respect to limited great coins on the bourse - the lack of a cornucopia of super great coins on the bourse is a result of 3 things. First, most of these are in strong hands (we all keep the amazing ones longer), second, by definition, there are far more less of the great coins that the regular coins. Third, the majority of collecting folks out there are not collecting this level of coin so the range of types and levels I think represent the diversity of collectors out there. I collect amazing bust quarters, as do about 10 others on the bourse, so not many vendors stock up on bust quarters......... etc. etc.
I saw alot of pretty cool coins and I think I missed alot too, but they still only represent a small amount of what is on the bourse. Several tables had alot of super coins - Eye Appealing, Paradime, CRO, to name a few dealers I pay attention to, but it just depended on whether these offerings were in ones collecting spectrum I think.
Best, SH